Kakao hit by first strike as bonus dispute escalates

Unionized workers at Kakao walked off the job Wednesday in the first strike at the company's headquarters since its founding, escalating a monthslong dispute over how the operator of KakaoTalk, the messaging app used by most South Koreans, divides its profits with employees.

The Crew Union, which represents Kakao staff, staged a four-hour partial strike from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., excluding the lunch hour.

By late morning, the union said more than 1,000 headquarters employees had joined, with about ...